Let Me Go
by LaxChick25
Summary: I'm not sure where she is today. I'm not even sure if she's still alive. I can't remember who I was back then and I certainly don't know why I made the choices I made. I don't know why but for some reason no matter what I do I just can't let her go.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey guys! I know it's been forever but that's because I just couldn't find anything to write about. I had all these ideas and then I'd get a couple chapters in and I'd just hit a wall. I couldn't find any story that I could run with until I came up with this idea. **

**So most of this story is Fang's POV except for the prologue (this) and the epilogue. For some reason I just find it easier to write through Fang sometimes which shouldn't make any sense because I'm a girl but I'm not going to question it. **

**I've messed with the beginning of this story a couple times and I finally stuck with this. I hope it isn't too confusing and hopefully you think it's interesting. **

He walked into the house and instantly he was shocked by the smell of weed and alcohol. He used to like the idea of it all. He used to want to rebel or lose himself in the smoke or the booze. Now, he hated it like he has never hated anything in his life. He hates what he's become and what they've all become. The only problem is that they're trapped now and they can't get out.

He turned the corner of the dilapidated house and entered the living room. Against one wall was a shabby couch that was picked up on the side of the road and against the opposite wall was an old TV that was probably wider than the walls of this shack of a house.

She was on the couch next to her best friend and the two girls were drinking and smoking and giggling and suddenly his whole chest filled with hatred for her. He never thought he could hate anyone, much less her. She used to be his everything, but she was getting lost in all. He was losing her and now he could barely recognize her.

He walked up and pulled a cigarette from her hand while her friend watched with the bowl they were smoking from halfway to her mouth.

"Better quit," he said and crushed it out on the dirty wood ground under him.

"Fuck you," she said lightly. She wasn't in her head and he knew it but he still couldn't help but get mad at her. She never seemed to be in her head anymore. "Oh, I wanted to talk to you." She pointed at him as if she could be referring to someone else.

He raised his eyebrows but she just stared at him blankly.

"We'll spit it out then," he snapped.

"I forget now," she said slowly and then looked at the TV as if that would suddenly provide some inspiration.

"Call me when you remember," he spat at her, "you fucking bozo."

With that he turned on his heel and headed for the door. He had to jump and step over her bottles of booze to get to the door which didn't help his mood any. He grabbed a half-full bottle of vodka off the cracked counter of the kitchen and threw it against the wall so it smashed and sprayed everywhere. He knew she heard it and he knew that she would never make it to him before he slipped out the door and left.

…

She found him later after she had sobered up and remembered what she needed to tell him. He was playing video games with his little brother at his house. She let herself in and sat herself down on the couch next to him.

"Fuck off," he mumbled to her.

"Nice to see you too, darling," she said.

He ignored her because the thought of talking to her made him sick right now.

"Can we at least talk?" she reasoned.

"You said you'd quit," he said. "You said you'd stop smoking weed and cigarettes. You said that you wouldn't drink so much. You said we'd quit all this."

"I'm working on it," she said.

"It doesn't seem like it!" He yelled.

With that the game was paused and he shot a look at his little brother so he would leave. Once they were alone she felt guilty.

"You have a problem," he said.

"Yeah, it's called life," she replied, trying to lighten the mood.

"Are you going to quit or what?" He demanded of her.

"I'll quit," she said quickly, but they both knew she had no intention of quitting. "Now, I have something to tell you."

"Shoot," he said as he fell back onto the couch.

She smiled at him and just like that he forgot how he could ever hate her. He loved her and he would love her forever.

"There's this deal going down and I want in," she said.

He groaned and put his face in his hands. Someday, when he's rich enough, he'll take her away from all this. He'll bring her somewhere beautiful and make sure that she never sees another drug deal or another death.

"I don't," he said. "I want out."

"There is no out," she replied. "There'll never be an out and you're stupid to think there is."

"I'm not going," he told her.

"You have to," she said.

"I don't _have_ to do anything," he corrected.

"I already talked to Shamus," Max said. "It isn't a choice. We have to go."

"Fuck you!" He said and he stood up from the couch. He was pissed now. "Stop signing me up for shit without talking to me."

"I didn't sign us up for shit!" She shot back. "We don't have a choice. I wanted it to make it seem like we did, but we don't. We were ordered to do it and now we have to."

He looked at her and he knew she was lying to him, but he didn't care. He knew she would go with or without him and he couldn't stand the thought of her going alone even if she would be with her best friend and probably his little brother.

"What time?" He asked.

"There's no time like the present," she answered.

He sighed and rubbed his eyes. Finally, they both stood. He yelled to his brother to come along and then the three were off. They picked up the girl's best friend on the way to the meeting.

The four started off together and now they intended to carry on together forever. They were just kids really when it all started. They wanted to experiment with danger in their safe town. They bought some weed off a guy on the street. Then, next they knew one thing led to the next. Then they turned into the guy on the street. They started dealing. They got involved with the wrong people. Then they were pledging allegiance to a man capable of killing them but promising them a future they only dreamed of. Now they can't even dream anymore, but their nightmares continue to haunt them.

When they arrived to the old bait shack by the water they collected themselves. They had it down at this point. She carried the gun and he made the exchange. The brother and the friend were there for the numbers. The four made their way into the shack and positioned themselves around and waited. Long ago they had learned that you never wanted to be second to a meeting. Being first gave you the advantage and you always want the advantage.

"What's the price?" The boy asked the girl. He had two large cardboard boxes at his feet. Inside were probably hundreds of kilos of cocaine or maybe pills or maybe even meth. Either way, he knew it would be expensive and that's why he hated big deals like this.

She didn't have a chance to respond though because just then two men walked in. They had at least ten years on the four kids and probably at least a hundred pounds on the boy.

"You got it?" one man questioned.

The boy looked them over with contempt. Both looked dirty. Their fingernails were crusted with dirt and grime. Both were unshaven despite the fact that one had a completely bald head. Their skin could hardly be seen under their tattoos and their teeth were yellow when they opened their mouths wide enough for the boy to see them.

"Depends," the girl said. "You got the money?"

Usually, these meetings felt dangerous. There was always an edge. It was always a waiting game to see if the other party would be peaceful. For the most part, everyone was civil. The girl was good at keeping things civil. This time, though, there was a different kind of edge in the air. The girl felt like she didn't have control. She didn't like these two men and neither did the boy. They shared a glance where they both communicated their uneasiness.

"We already talked with Shamus," the bald one said, but his smirk was evil. "We've worked it out."

"Bullshit," the girl replied. "Pay up or nothing."

"I've got another idea," the bald one replied slyly. Then he pulled out his gun and aimed it right at the girl. She glared at him over the gun. "Give us the boxes."

"Not gonna happen," she snarled. Then she quickly yanked her gun out from behind her back. She had it aimed at the bald man before he knew what happened. "Now get the hell out of here before I kill you."

That's when all chaos broke loose. The bald man stepped forward and knocked the girl's gun to the side, but she was already pulling the trigger. The gun went off and hit something to the side, but now she was too focused on everything else. The other man had grabbed the boxes and was making a run for it. The girl didn't think. She pulled the trigger of her gun again and hit the bald man right in the thigh. Before he could react she aimed her gun at his forehead. Then she pulled the trigger with a shaking hand and ended him right there.

Then, she was chasing after the man that got away with the boxes. She looked around outside the shack desperately looking for any sign of him. That's when the black van came bursting through the parking lot. She shot at him as he drove off but she only managed to empty her gun on the side of his van. He was getting away. He can't get away.

She needed to chase him. She need the car keys, but the boy had them.

She sprinted back inside the shack, but she halted abruptly at the sight. There on the floor was the boy she loved. His face was pale and sweaty. Blood was everywhere and she realized with horror what she had done. It had been her of course. It had been her gun that shot him.

She dropped her gun on the ground and ran to him. She ran to his side but it was too late. He was already fading. She tried desperately to put pressure on his chest, but it was a lost cause. She had gotten him right through the heart.

"No, no, no!" She cried as she pressed his chest.

The boy's brother was crying and trying to shake his big brother awake, but it wasn't working. The girl's best friend was trying to pull the girl away from the body because it was a lost cause.

"Adam!" The girl cried hysterically. She clung to him and hugged his head to her chest. "Adam! Please, Adam! Adam, I love you!"

She kissed his lips frantically. They were the only lips she has ever kissed. They were the only lips she ever planned on kissing. For her, Adam was it. He was all she was ever going to be or love.

"I'm sorry," she cried into his hair. "I'm sorry, Adam, please!"

Then she was yanked from him and he fell from her arms onto the cold, hard ground.

"Listen to me," her best friend said.

The girl couldn't though. She could only long to change it all. She wanted him back. She couldn't live with the thought of him being gone.

"How much were those boxes worth?" Her best friend asked.

The girl couldn't listen. She just couldn't.

Her best friend yanked her back and then shoved her into the wall, hard.

"How much were the boxes worth?" She demanded.

"Two," the girl answered quietly because now it was all starting to sink in. Everything was all coming down on her and she knew that soon enough they would all end up like Adam if they didn't pull it together.

"Thousand?" Her best friend asked.

"Million," the girl answered. "All coke. All good coke."

"Fuck!" her best friend yelled.

"We need to go," the girl said frantically. "We need to run."

"Call Shamus," the boy's brother said from the boy's lifeless side. He was still crying. "Maybe he'll understand."

"Ok," the girl said as she tried to regain her composure. She made sure not to look in the boy's direction for fear that she would never be able to find herself again. She pulled out her cell phone and dialed the number.

"Hello," a male voice answered.

"Hello," the girl answered. "Nice weather, huh?"

"One minute," the male responded.

Next there was some shuffling on the other line and then another male answered.

"Hey, it's me," the girl said.

"How'd the deal go?" Shamus asked.

"Adam is dead," she answered. "He got shot."

There was silence.

"Did you get the money?" Shamus asked.

"Adam is dead," the girl repeated.

"Did you get the money or not?" He demanded.

"No," she answered.

"Alright, bring it all back here and we'll find another buyer," Shamus said. "It shouldn't be hard."

"I don't have it," she said.

"Who has it?" Shamus demanded angrily.

"It was stolen," she said.

Then Shamus lost it. He cursed and screamed over the phone. He made threats that the girl knew he would hold true on and she hung up. She hung up on him which was a death wish in and of itself.

"Let's go," the boy's brother said, standing.

The three kids looked at each other and they knew. They all knew that this was it. They knew they had to run. There was nothing anyone could do for them. The police couldn't even protect them now. They moved to the number one spot on a drug lord's hit list.

"You're going to pay for this," the Adam's little brother threatened the girl. "I'll make you pay for this."

Then they ran. The three of them split up. They ran away from each other and from their past. They ran from a man who wanted nothing but for them to be dead.

**A/N: Are you confused? That's my biggest fear with not really introducing characters by name yet. I want this story to slowly come together through pieces and I want you guys to stick with it. **

**Anyway, tell me what you think so far. **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I didn't get a lot of reviews but I felt like updating anyway. Thank you to my first five reviewers, you guys know who you are and obviously know you're awesome. I don't know if this chapter will clarify anything for you guys but I hope it kind of helps. **

_3 years later…_

A hand came down hard on my shoulder and I quickly spun. Iggy was staring at me with a scowl. Iggy doesn't get mad often at anyone, including his best friend, me, so I must have done something wrong.

"What the fuck, man?" he demanded.

"What?" I asked for clarification.

"What do you mean 'what'?" he spat at me. "You fucking broke Lissa's heart!"

I looked him over up and down and tried to decide how to respond.

"Why would you do that?" Iggy asked.

"Because I don't love her," I said. "I couldn't do it anymore."

"She's our friend," Iggy shot at me. "It's been the three of us since forever and you just fucked it all up, as usual."

"Sorry that I didn't want to stay with her just to make _you_ happy," I replied icily.

"Whatever, fuck everything up, Fang," Iggy mumbled.

He stalked off angrily and I turned to slam my locker shut.

It's been Lissa, Iggy and I since we were kids. Two years ago something changed and I fell in love with Lissa, or that's what I thought anyway. I started getting bored months ago, but stuck it out. Then finally, I couldn't listen to her anymore and I just snapped. I broke up with her before first period and though I wish I had done it differently, I knew that there would be no nice way to do it and I'm happy it's over.

I can see why Iggy's mad because it will mess up our friendship, but at the same time I don't know what he wanted me to do. It's not like I wanted to ruin our friendship but I couldn't go on being unhappy.

I headed for the doors of the school. They can give me detention or call home, I really don't care. I need to get out of here.

I broke through the heavy doors and headed straight for my black Chevy Tahoe that was parked in the front row. I ripped open the back door and threw my backpack in before jumping behind the wheel and nearly peeling out of that shithole.

I flipped through the radio stations until I found some angry rock song with a heavy beat that I could bang my head to and forget about everything with. Then I rolled down my window and let the fresh air clean out my head and my lungs.

I stuck to the back roads that I could get away speeding on and drove aimlessly for hours trying not to think about Lissa or Iggy or what I had done.

It wasn't until my gas light came on yellow and bright that I cursed myself for wasting so much gas and headed for the closest station I could think of. Let's add having to fill my gas tank to the list of shitty things that has happened today.

I flung the Tahoe in next to a pump and headed into the station.

It was quiet in the store since it was the middle of the day on a Wednesday. There was cashier who was talking with some blond girl that I could only see the back of. I headed for the back of the store and picked up a candy bar and an orange juice. Then I headed back up to the counter where the girl and the cashier were still talking.

The girl must have heard me coming because she simply stepped to the side of the counter to allow me to come up to it but she didn't even bother to look at me as she did it. I threw my stuff down on the counter and reached for my wallet in my back pocket but it wasn't there.

"Five thirty-two," the cashier told me.

I tried for the other pocket just in case. I even felt in my front pockets, but it was gone. I started to get a little panicky.

"I think I lost my wallet," I told the cashier. "I'm going to look to see if I dropped it on my way in."

I started for the door, praying with all my might that I had just dropped it on my way in or that it was sitting on the seat of my car.

"Fang Smith," a voice said calmly with what I quickly identified as a Boston accent. I turned to look back at the direction of the voice. The girl I hadn't even cast so much as a second glance at was holding my wallet open in her hands, presumably reading my license. "Interesting name, Fang. Your parents were clearly creative."

"With a last name like Smith they had to be," I replied smoothly. I didn't even feel her take it. I don't know how she possibly reached into my back pocket and took my wallet without me feeling a thing.

"Can I have that back now?" I more of demanded than asked.

"Why would I steal your wallet if I wanted to give it back?" she replied.

She took the next minute to look through my wallet while I looked her over. She was blond with these bright brown eyes. She was skinny, maybe just a little too much so, but her skin had a nice healthy flush to it. She had a ratty old backpack slung over one shoulder that was stuffed full with objects I couldn't identify.

"C'mon just give it up," I said as I held my hand out for her to place my wallet into.

"Fang, I would love to, really, but I seem to have found myself out of cash and out of gas so it looks like you got the raw end of the deal," she said. She reached into my wallet and pulled out a couple crisp twenties that I had just taken out of the bank yesterday.

I looked at the cashier to see if he was going to do anything but he just sat reading a magazine.

"Very funny," I stuck my hand out farther so she would see that I was no longer kidding.

"I'm not trying to be funny," she said with a smirk that reminded me of everything evil I've ever seen in the world.

"Alright, seriously," I said impatiently.

She tossed my wallet back at me but I watched as she pocketed two twenties.

"Don't make me call the police," I said, getting sick of this littler charade she was doing. Who the hell is this girl anyway? She's clearly not from around here.

"It'll just be a loan," she said. "I start my job tonight and I'll pay you back as soon as I get the money."

I scoffed at that and crossed my arms. I'm not letting her leave here with my money.

"Alright, Alright here." She leaned forward and extended the two bills to me. I took my wallet out and took out my last twenty.

I placed all sixty dollars on the counter in front of the cashier. Then I pushed my candy bar and my juice forward. The cashier rang everything up and I took it.

"Put whatever is left on pump three," I said.

I walked back out the Tahoe and started pumping my gas. Now I was in a seriously pissed mood.

By the time I finished with the whole gas station problem I had to go straight back to the school for soccer practice. The day is fucking endless.

…

I was getting my stuff together after practice when Iggy ran up to me. His orange hair was matted with sweat and he kind of smelt but I was happy he was coming up to me.

"Look, I'm sorry about this morning," Iggy said.

I stood up and slung my bag on my back.

"We're cool," I said.

"Cool," Iggy said. "So you want to come back to my place? I just bought this sick new game."

"Yeah sure," I said.

"That practice was a bitch, huh?"

"Those suicides were for sure," I replied.

I glanced around for the Tahoe and saw it sitting a couple parking spaces down. That's when I saw her. She was wearing the same ripped up jeans and flannel shirt. She no longer had her old backpack on though.

She was standing in the middle of the parking lot talking with Kevin Jenkins. She openly just pulled out two little baggies of what appeared to be weed. Kevin looked around nervously before slipping her money and quickly taking the two bags from her. Then he walked away from her like she might kill him any minute.

She pocketed her cash and was starting forward when she looked in my direction and we made eye contact. I quickly looked away but I knew it was too late.

"Does that girl go to our school?" Iggy asked.

"I don't know," I mumbled. "But I really hope not."

Next I knew the girl had intercepted Iggy and me and was now standing in front of us with a smirk.

"Are you boys interested in buying some weed today?"

"You're going to get arrested," I replied.

"You have so much faith in the police, Fang," the girl said. Iggy gave me a startled look when she said my name. "They'll come save you when I steal your wallet. They'll come arrest me when I'm dealing in a parking lot."

"Well, that is their job," I said.

She just laughed at me. "Are you going to buy or what?"

"No, we're not," I shot at her.

"C'mon," she encouraged. "It's homegrown by yours truly. Support your local farmers."

"Alright, I'll buy a gram," Iggy said. "How much? Twenty?"

"Fifteen if you buy two," she negotiated.

"Alright I'll get two then," Iggy said quickly. He was reaching for his wallet when I stopped him.

"You don't even know if you like it," I said.

"I bet I will," Iggy said.

"Don't judge it based on your first time," she said. "You probably won't get high your first time."

"Good to know," Iggy said.

"Do you even have anything to smoke it with?" I asked.

"I can throw in some rolling papers for an extra five," she said.

Iggy looked at me as if to say _see_ and then starting pulling out bills.

She took out two bags of weed and then pulled out a little box of rolling papers.

"These are my favorites," she said in respect to the papers. "They make the smoke nice and slow."

"All I have is two twenties," Iggy said. "Do you have change?"

She reached into her back pocket and pulled out a big wad of cash where she extracted a five from.

She handed Iggy the five and his purchase while taking his forty bucks.

"What if I want more?" Iggy asked. "Do you have a number?"

"I'll be around for the next couple weeks," she replied. "I'll come find you."

With that she shoved her money back in her pocket and turned to go talk to another group of students. Only when she turned did I see a clear little bulge by her lower back and I gulped. She was carrying a gun.

"Hey, so you want to get stoned?" Iggy asked me happily.

I looked at him and just shook my head.

"And I really don't feel like hanging out anymore," I mumbled.

"Dude, I just bought two grams of weed, I'm not smoking by myself!"

I didn't respond. I got in the Tahoe and drove as quickly as I could. I really am past ready for the day to be over.

**A/N: Please review guys and tell me what you're thinking so far!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I can't even begin to thank you guys for the reviews. It's always scary starting a new story and I appreciate your reviews. I ask like hearing about your guesses for the rest of the story. **

**So enjoy the chapter!**

I was actually understanding something in Physics when Iggy leaned towards me and I knew my hopes of paying attention were long gone.

"So I heard about this club a couple towns over that doesn't card," Iggy whispered to me.

"So?" I asked.

"So, let's go," Iggy said.

"What's the name?" I asked.

"Club Blue," Iggy told me.

"In Raymond?" I asked him.

"Have you heard of it?" Iggy asked me.

"Yes I've heard of it you dumbass," I shot at him. "I've also heard a lot of other things about that place that have made me never want to go."

"I've also heard that they have a poker room down stairs," Iggy said. "I'd like to try my _hand_."

He laughed at his own joke.

"It's high stakes poker," I told him. "Not exactly the kind of place you should try out poker for the first time."

"Well I'm sure there are some lower stakes games," Iggy said simply.

"I'm pretty sure you have to pay to even play at the table," I told him.

Iggy looked like he was reconsidering.

"So we just won't play poker, I'm sure they're other things to do."

"Yeah, like getting stabbed," I mumbled.

"I'll pick you up tonight and we'll carpool," Iggy said.

"Why don't you take Lissa?" I shot at him.

"Because then I'd have to watch her the whole time," Iggy said. "No one is going to rape you or drug you or anything."

"I'm not going," I said firmly.

…

Iggy picked me up about an hour ago and now we were slowly driving down the streets of Raymond looking for a place to park. I could hear the music from the club already and I just knew I wasn't going to like it there. I hate people enough when they're at a distance never mind when they're pressed against me sweating and I have nowhere to go.

"It's gonna be a blast, man, chill," Iggy said.

He pulled his car into a spot that was way too small for it and I glared at him.

"How am I supposed to get out?" I asked. There was barely two inches between me and the car next to me.

Iggy looked around before he pushed a button and I heard the trunk pop open. Iggy smiled at me and then hopped to the back and then hopped over the back seat and went out the trunk. I let out a long, loud sigh before following his path out of the car.

I landed heavily on the pavement that smelled like a disgusting mixture of piss and vomit. Iggy gave me another ecstatic smile and then slammed the trunk shut.

"This is going to be awesome," Iggy said happily.

We walked towards the music until we found the long line of kids waiting to get in. We joined the line at the back and more followed after us.

"I'm not even sure how you're supposed to order a drink at the bar," Iggy said to me.

"You just walk up and say what you want and they get it for you," I said.

"Seems easy enough," Iggy said.

Thankfully the line moved quickly and soon we were walking in and I almost wished that the line had moved slower. There was a band up on a stage that was screaming lyrics into the microphone and banging their instruments without a care. Girls were turning into groupies, singing along with the lyrics they didn't really know and dancing up at the stage. People were jumping and sweating and grinding on each other and I really just wanted to leave. Not to mention it smelt like sweat and booze.

"This is great!" Iggy yelled to me. "Let's get something to drink!"

We made our way over to the crowded bar and fought our way to the front. When we finally got there we each got a beer and then ventured to stand on the fringe and just watch everything.

"I really want to get laid tonight," Iggy said.

"Don't we all," I replied.

"And I really want to find that poker game," he added.

"I really don't," I responded.

"Maybe if I win at poker a hot girl will think that's awesome and she'll sleep with me," Iggy said.

"I doubt it."

"Let's go find the poker games," Iggy said.

"No," I said instantly. "We're not doing that."

"Why are you so against it?" Iggy asked.

"Because I just think it's a bad idea," I told him.

"I think it's a great idea," Iggy defended. "I really just want to see what it's all about."

"Ig-"

I was cut off when he started walking away and headed right for the back of the club. There were two scary men standing in front of a door and I knew instantly that's where they had the poker games.

Iggy and I walked up to the door.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, boys," a big scary guy said instantly.

I'm no wimp and I certainly put my time in at the gym but these guys had to be way over six feet tall and probably doubled my weight. Not to mention they had tattoos all over. So yeah, they were big and scary and I'm not afraid to admit it.

"Where do you think you're going?" the other scary guy asked.

"We want to check out the poker games," Iggy told him.

The guys looked at each other and shrugged as if they really didn't care either way.

"Fifty to get in," one said. Iggy pulled out his wallet and handed them a couple bills. He was carrying a bunch of cash. He made us stop at the ATM on our way here.

With that we were allowed to go through the door. We had to go down an old wooden stair case that led to another door. We went through that door and when it shut behind us we could no longer hear the sound of the music from upstairs.

There were tables all over the room and a thick cloud of cigar smoke hung in the air. Iggy looked around in amazement at the people playing. I couldn't describe the crowd with one adjective because it looked like these people came from all walks of life. There were old men, young guys, middle-aged woman, and everything in-between. I don't know much about poker but this isn't what I imagined it to be like.

Iggy sauntered over to a table and I banged my head against the wall before following after him. By the time I got there he was already joining a game.

"What are you doing?" I demanded.

"I'm playing," he said. "Don't worry I read about how to play online. I think I've got this."

"I'm not watching this," I said. "You're going to get in way over your head."

With that I walked away from Iggy and over to the bar where I sat myself down and ordered another beer. There was no one else at the bar so the bartender hung by me.

"I've never seen you around before," she said.

"This isn't exactly my hangout," I mumbled.

"I didn't think so," she said.

"But it isn't exactly what I expected it to be like," I told her. If I'm going to be here awhile I mine as well make it less boring.

"How so?" She asked.

"Well the people aren't exactly what I would call scary," I said.

She laughed a little. "Look around, boy. You're sitting among killers, dealers, and thieves. They don't all look like characters in _The Godfather_."

I looked around the room baffled and that's when I saw her. Her blond hair was curly and she was wearing almost all black, but it was her. She was sitting at a table holding some cards in her hand but she was staring at me. When we met eyes she didn't even smile. She just shook her head at me and then looked at the door.

"All of them?" I asked the bartender.

"Every last one," she said. "Except for you and your friend. You two should get out of here while you can."

Something in me wanted to stay though. Now that I had seen the girl I knew I couldn't just leave. She wanted me to leave and just because she wanted me to didn't mean I was going to. If she's here it can't really be that dangerous, I mean all she does is deal a little pot.

"I'll get another beer," I said.

The bartender sighed and started to get me another.

After that she didn't talk to me again and I sat at the bar slowly drinking my way through four beers waiting for Iggy.

I was about to order a fifth when suddenly there was screaming and crashing and anger. I quickly spun to see Iggy pale and sitting in his chair. He had both hands up and the most terrified face on. A man in about his early thirties with a mustache had his arm extended with a gun in his hand aimed at Iggy's head. Iggy was visibly shaking. I was frozen.

"Pay up!" The man with the gun yelled.

"I-I-I…" Iggy trailed off.

I quickly got out of my seat at the bar and was running over to try and save Iggy. That's when I saw the girl step quickly over to the scene and stand next to Iggy. She had an arm wrapped around to her back and her hand was holding her gun, but not yet pulling it.

"C'mon, you don't want to shoot him," the girl reasoned calmly, as if Iggy's life wasn't on the line. "He's got two parents waiting for him at home that will come after you when they find out someone shot their son."

"You think I'm going to get caught?" the man with the gun snapped at her.

"No, probably not, but do you want to have to worry about getting caught?" the girl said simply then she shrugged. "It kind of sucks being on the run."

"Sometimes it's worth it to teach some punk kid a lesson," the man with the gun tightened his grip on the gun and steeled his teeth.

"How much?" the girl asked.

The man with the gun laughed. "You're going to pay off his debt?"

"Sure, why not?" she said. The girl reached into her pocket and pulled out a big wad of hundreds. "How much?"

"Five," the man said.

Oh it's only five hundred, not too bad.

"There's two," the girl said as she threw her wad on the table. She turned to Iggy. "What car do you drive?"

Iggy looked terrified.

"Better think fast before I change my mind," the girl said and I detected a bit of impatience in her voice. It was almost like we were an inconvenience to her and saving Iggy's life was on her list of things to do right after doing the laundry and before vacuuming.

"A-a Dodge Magnum," Iggy stuttered.

"Year?" the girl demanded.

"Two-thousand five," Iggy said quickly.

"Give me your keys," she demanded.

"What?" Iggy screeched.

"Your keys, now," the girl said as she held her hand out.

Iggy reluctantly handed her his keys. When she finally had them she slammed them down on top of the wad of hundreds. Clearly were talking about thousands and not hundreds like I thought.

"That should cover his debts and give you a little extra for having to deal with him," she said.

Slowly the man with the gun lowered his arm and shoved the gun back into his waistband. The girl carefully took her hand off her own gun and then fixed her leather jacket over it.

"Good," the man said.

Max quickly grabbed Iggy by the arm and tugged him up and out of his seat. I rushed after them as the girl tugged Iggy through the door and then we made our way up the stairs.

We broke through the second door and were thrust back into the loud music and sweaty bodies.

"You gave my car away!" Iggy yelled angrily.

"Would you rather I gave your life away instead?" She countered.

She grabbed Iggy by the arm and started tugging him towards the door.

"Whoa, I'm not going home yet," Iggy said.

"Yes, you are," I said angrily. I shoved Iggy forwards and the girl pulled him.

We got out of the club in two minutes flat and finally got to breathe in fresh air. The contrast of the club to the outside world was intense. Now it was dark and quiet and open and I liked it so much better.

"My parents are going to kill me," Iggy said.

"Not to mention you owe me two grand," the girl said. "And I need that sooner rather than later."

"I can get it to you," Iggy said.

"When?" she asked.

"Are you going to bring us home?" Iggy asked.

She shrugged, "I already saved your life."

"If you take us home and stop at an ATM I can have it to you tonight," Iggy said.

"Sounds good," the girl replied.

We walked in silence with her taking the lead. We walked down side streets and through allies until we came out about two miles from where the club was. I'm not sure why she parked this far out but I was so relieved when I saw her finally heading towards a specific car.

She walked up to an old blue pickup truck and tugged her keys out of her back pocket. It isn't exactly what I expected her to be driving but I didn't say anything. She tugged open the door with a creek and Iggy and I went around the side. The girl started cleaning the car by throwing things onto the already dirty floor. She had clothes, dog bones, a couple glass pipes, and a few loose shoes.

Iggy and I loaded into the truck. There wasn't really a lot of room and personal space was nonexistent, but we didn't have any other options.

The girl started up the truck with a few loud coughs from the engine and then we were off, flying down the streets way too fast.

Iggy cleared his throat and I feared for what was coming.

"So what's your name?" he asked.

"Max," the girl replied. "You?"

"Iggy."

"Nice to meet you, Iggy," Max said and she extended her hand. They shook carefully as we kept on our long drive.

"So you have a dog, huh?" Iggy asked. He picked up a dog bone and held it up as if she needed proof.

"Yeah, A bloodhound," Max replied.

"What's his name?" Iggy asked.

"Mac," Max replied.

"So it's Max and Mac," Iggy said.

"Well I used to have a fish that was cheese so I had Mac and Cheese, but Cheese didn't last long and Mac is still around, thankfully."

I smiled a little at that and had to put my hand over my mouth so they wouldn't see.

"Why'd your family move?" Iggy asked.

"To get away from me," she answered.

Iggy looked a little confused so he looked at me but I was just as confused as him. Why would her family move with her if they wanted to get rid of her? Why would they even want to get rid of her?

"So why'd you move with them?" Iggy asked.

"I didn't," she said.

"You don't live your parents, then?"

"I haven't for a while," she answered calmly. "How 'bout you?"

"Oh I live with my mom and dad," Iggy said. "Over on Hill Street. We've been there my whole life."

"Sounds nice," Max replied and I couldn't tell if she actually meant it or not.

"So where are you staying then, you know, if you're not living with your parents?" Iggy asked.

She glanced at him sideways.

She cleared her throat, "I'm not staying for long."

"Oh, why not?"

I think Iggy was just trying to be polite but I'm pretty sure she was sick of his questions.

"I'm just not," Max said with finality.

"So are you enrolling in our school then?" Iggy asked her carefully.

"No," Max said. "I don't go to school."

"I should have guessed," Iggy replied. Max looked at him sideways and smiled. I think he's falling for her. Just then something stirred inside me that I knew was jealousy, but I don't even know Max so it must be that I'm jealous that Iggy even has someone to like and I don't.

"I have much more fun selling weed than calculating area," Max mumbled.

"I figured," Iggy said. "Now tell me, do you have a plant or how do you get it?"

"Well, I have two plants and I keep them under the light bulb all day. It's a good little side business to fall back on when I just need a couple hundred bucks every now and then."

"Is it profitable?" Iggy asked.

"Highly," Max said. "I just find a high school or a college where there are kids with enough money to buy and enough time and stress to want to get high and I'm golden."

"Sound easy enough," Iggy said.

"The trick is to not get into anything bigger than weed 'cause then you run into trouble," Max informed him. "People get crazy over certain stuff and I don't have time to deal with crazy addicts. Weed is simple."

"So do you only do weed then?" Iggy asked.

"I tried a little bit of coke for a while but that was a disaster," she said calmly. "Sometimes if people want some booze I can buy for them or cigarettes. Nothing bigger than that."

"You're smalltime," Iggy stated.

"I try to be," Max replied.

"So if weed is doing good why were you down playing poker?" Iggy asked.

"Weed puts gas in this truck but it doesn't pay for everything," Max told him. "I have to pay for the place I'm living at, I have to eat, and I have to feed Mac and make sure that he's all taken care of. It adds up like crazy."

"Still that's pretty high stakes," Iggy said.

"I like to have a little extra side cash too," she said with a hint of something devilish in there.

With that I think Iggy ran out of questions or was too scared to ask anymore. Max quickly signaled and then we were pulling into a bank with an ATM sign still on. Max parked a little ways away from the machine and put the truck in park.

"I need that cash," Max said.

Iggy sighed and then pushed at me so I would get out and let him out. I got back in and slammed the door shut at my side. I almost wished that I had gone with Iggy but now it was five seconds too late for that.

"So what's your story?" Max asked me. She put her foot up on the dashboard and leaned slightly towards me. I looked over at her and shrugged. "C'mon, I can't imagine you have nothing interesting to tell."

I shook my head and looked away from her. I wanted to get out of her truck and just get home. Hopefully I'll never have to see her again.

"Name the biggest thing that's happened to you in these past couple days," she demanded.

"Besides just almost having my best friend shot in the head-"

"You're welcome."

"-I also broke up with my girlfriend of two years."

"What's her name?" Max asked.

"Lissa," I told her.

"Did you love her?" She asked.

I looked over at her.

"Yes, I did," I answered honestly.

"Do you still love her?" Max asked.

"No," I said.

"That's sad," Max said. "Why not?"

I let out a long breath and rubbed my temples, then shrugged.

"You obviously stopped loving her for a reason," Max said forcefully. "You don't just drop love if it really was love."

"It was slow and painful," I told her. "I slowly and very painfully fell out of love with a girl that used to be my best friend then was my girlfriend and now she's nothing."

Max didn't say anything in response to that and soon Iggy was back and jumping in the car.

"I have a limit on how much I can take out," he said. "Here's five hundred."

"Five hundred isn't going to cut it," Max said.

"Well, I can't get any more until tomorrow," Iggy said. "I could write you a check if you really want me to."

"I don't have a bank account," Max replied. "I want the next five hundred tomorrow and for the next two days after that."

"Yeah, fine," Iggy said.

"I'm serious," Max warned.

"I know you are," Iggy said.

"Iggy, if you fuck up my life you will pay."

The truck fell into silence after that and Max shoved it into drive and started back towards town.

It took about a half-hour after that to get back into town. With a few simple instructions from Iggy, we made it back to my house where Max pulled up to the front and didn't even put the truck in park.

"Don't forget about that money," Max said.

"How do you want me to get it to you?" Iggy asked.

"I'll find you tomorrow," Max told him. "Just have it ready."

With that we got out of the truck and shut the door. Max sped off without another word or even a glance in our direction. We watched her taillights get smaller and smaller until they turned and we couldn't see them anymore.

"Well, that was crazy," Iggy said.

I shot him a look and started down my driveway.

"What?" Iggy asked as he hurried to catch up to me.

"I fucking told you that was a bad idea," I said.

"Yeah, but it all worked out," Iggy said breezily.

I looked at him, wondering how he could possibly say that with a straight face.

"You almost got killed, you owe Max two grand, you lost your car," I listed while ticking a finger with each point, "tell me what worked out?"

"Well, Max seems cool," Iggy said.

"Oh yeah, she seems just great," I said with sarcasm ingrained in every word. "It seems like maybe she could teach you how to properly gamble with murders and thieves and maybe while she's at it she can teach you the best way to nourish your very own weed plant!"

"At least we got home fine," Iggy said.

I literally was seconds away from punching him so I kept my mouth shut.

We both loaded into my car so I could take Iggy home. I made sure it stayed silent because I had long ago reached my limit for the day.

**A/N: I don't know if you guys have heard but New England (Where I live if you didn't know) is about to get hammered with a big storm. My area is estimated to get about 24 inches of snow and hurricane level winds so I might lose power. If you don't hear from me within the next couple of days I didn't forget about you guys I'm just probably snowed in. **

**Wish me luck and review please! **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: So I didn't get a lot of reviews last chapter which I guess is ok. I would like to know what you guys are thinking about this story because I know you guys are reading. It's just a little discouraging, but I shall prevail! So here's the next chapter. It's kind of short and kind of filler, but here it is. **

Max was waiting by the Tahoe when we got out of school on Monday. She looked somewhere between pissed and impatient and I heard Iggy audibly gulp next to me.

"I've got five hundred," Iggy said. He instantly reached for his pocket.

"That's great," Max said a little too cheery. "When are you going to get me the next thousand?"

"Hopefully by the end of the week," Iggy said quickly. He shoved the money into her hand.

"You see, Iggy, I have people breathing down my neck," Max said. "I need that money sooner than this week and you're going to make it happen because if you don't I'm going to be in trouble and if you get me in trouble I'll make sure that you get in trouble too."

"Okay, so when do you need it by?" Iggy asked.

"Tomorrow night," Max said. "At the latest and I'll be here to collect."

"I-I-"

"You'll make it happen," Max said forcefully. She looked Iggy over threateningly and then turned away from us and started to walk away. Iggy and I stood in silence for a long time until I looked over at him. He was pale and sweating.

"She's real cool, huh?"

"Can I barrow some money?" Iggy asked.

"How much?" I asked.

"At least five hundred," Iggy said.

I thought it over. "You'll have to pay me back."

"Of course."

"Okay," I said.

"Thank you," Iggy breathed and then he wrapped his arms around me. I pushed him off.

"Hug me again and I'm not giving you any money," I said.

…

I was leaning against the counter by the bags at work when she strolled up. Megan, the cashier, didn't even think twice when she saw her, but I was instantly wary. She had I big bag of dog food slung over her shoulder and a couple boxes of Ramen Noodles in her hand. She threw the boxes down on the conveyor belt and leaned the dog food down so that Megan could scan the bar code. I threw the Ramen into a bag and then put it down at the end.

"Thirty-Six Fifty is your total," Megan said happily.

I watched as Max balanced the food while reaching into the pocket of her flannel shirt to pull out a wad of hundred dollar bills. Megan looked a little shocked for a moment as she watched Max flip through the bills until she found a couple fifties. Max carefully pulled one fifty from the pile and handed it over to Megan calmly. Megan made the change quietly and then handed Max her change.

Max didn't even blink while she shoved her change into her flannel pocket and then grabbed the bag from the end.

Megan and I watched her as she walked out of the grocery store without looking back or faltering. She was confident, cocky even, and it showed.

At least she wasn't lying about having a dog.

"Who carries around that much money?" Megan asked me, now that Max was gone.

"Drug dealers," I commented.

"Is she a drug dealer?" Megan asked, shocked.

"Yeah," I told her. "She's been dealing at our school since she got here."

"Did she just move here or something?" Megan asked. "I haven't seen her in school."

"I think she might be a couple years older than us because I don't think she goes to school."

"Why is she here?"

I shrugged in response. I'm just happy that Megan finds Max as odd as I do. I want Iggy to just pay her back and then I never want to see her again in my life.

"Where is she even staying?" Megan asked quietly.

I wish I had an answer to her question.

**A/N: Just want to let you know that I'm uploading a new story today too. For those of you who read You're My Curveball and Game Two I have something up for that. It's just one-shots so don't get to excited. **

**Review Please! And check out that story!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hey guys! Thanks for the reviews! You guys are great! I meant to update earlier but I just wasn't home this weekend at all. I would like to next tell heartofglass99 that their team sucks as proven by their loss to the best team in the entire world: the patriots. So take that! To pielover999, this story is taking place in America. I haven't said it yet in the story specifically but it's in South Carolina and I do not have a British accent. I am not from Britain although I do think it would be a cool accent to have. Enjoy the chapter!**

I wasn't surprised when Max was waiting around for Iggy and me when we got out of soccer practice. She looked dead set on getting our money and this time we had it. Iggy instantly reached in his pocket and tugged out all the bills that he had ready for her.

Iggy thrust them into her hand and she smiled slyly.

"Thank you," Max said as she quickly pocketed the money.

Iggy responded by nodding his head.

Without another word Max turned and left. I watched her as she got into her truck and drove away in a hurry.

Iggy let out a long sigh.

"I'm so happy I don't have to worry about that anymore," he said.

"Hopefully we'll never see her again," I replied.

"God, I would have paid another thousand if it meant I would never have to see her again."

"Let's go get some pizza or something," Iggy said. "On me."

I laughed a little and started for the Tahoe.

…

I walked out of Iggy's house tiredly. I was fully prepared to just go home and crash. Who would've thought six hours of video games would be tiring?

I stopped dead when I saw a guy standing in front of the Tahoe, leaning against it with arms crossed. He looked like he meant business and wouldn't take any shit from me. He was about my size so I figured that if I had to fight him I had a pretty good chance, if it was fair, which he would probably make sure it wasn't.

He didn't pause for introductions or pleasantries. "Where is she?"

I knew instantly he was talking about Max because I couldn't think of anyone else that would have people chasing after them.

"I don't know," I told him.

He let out a long, low laugh that made me clench my fists.

"So that's how it's going to be." The more he spoke the more I heard the deep Boston accent in his voice, just like Max's. He must be from her past. Maybe an ex?

He pushed off the Tahoe and reached him behind to pull out a gun. I started to panic, but I didn't let him see it.

"You could kill me if you want but I don't know where she is," I told him. "I barely know her."

The guy clearly got pissed at my words. He walked up to me and I forced my body to calm down. He jammed the gun into my stomach.

"If you don't tell me where she is I'm going to make you wish I'd just killed you," he threatened.

I honestly wished I knew where she was because I wouldn't hesitate to give her up, but I really didn't know.

"I don't know where she is," I told him more forcefully.

The guy pulled away from me and took a couple steps away. He smirked at me like he was in on some secret and I was a fool.

"This all very valiant of you," he said, "but trust me when I say she isn't worth it. She's a murderer, has she told you that?"

He looked me over. No, I didn't know she was a murderer, but it was just another reason why I never wanted to see her again.

"You'll give up everything you have for her and she'll just be using you, then you'll have nothing and no one and she'll be on to the next town, the next city, the next guy."

"I'm not dating her," I told him. "She paid off some gambling debt my best friend had and then we paid her back. She sold us weed once and that's it. We haven't seen her since this afternoon when we gave her the last of the money we owed her."

"She paid off your best friend's debt?" the guy asked me.

I nodded. "That's the only way we know her."

The guy watched me carefully as he pulled a burner phone from his pocket. I watched him as he dialed in a number and then put the phone on speaker. It rang and rang until eventually we were sent to voicemail.

"Hey, I've got your boy here," the guy said. "You've got an hour, meet me at my place. I'm sure you know I'm in town and I have no doubt you know where I'm staying."

He held the phone out to me and it was clear he wanted me to say something.

"You better fucking show up, Max," I said angrily into the phone. I was not going to die for her or anyone like her.

The guy loaded me into the Tahoe and made me drive while he sat in the passenger seat, giving instructions. About ten minutes later we pulled into a house belonging to an older couple that I knew was on vacation in Europe for a month.

The guy got out and made me too.

We waited around in the driveway, with the guy holding me at gunpoint for the entire time.

Finally, about forty-five minutes later, we saw her walking up the driveway calmly.

"Took you long enough," the guy called to her.

"I had business to finish up," she replied. "Conveniently, it was just down the street."

"You know how I strive for convenience," the guy replied.

"Then you should know how entirely inconvenient this whole charade is," Max said, calmly. "You get yourself into trouble, Dylan?"

The guy's name is Dylan I guess.

"You know me so well," he said, but there wasn't any friendliness in his voice.

"How much?" Max asked.

"Ten," he said.

"Maybe poker isn't your game, ever think of that?" Max said humorlessly.

"Oh no, that's pool," Dylan said. "It was twenty but I won ten playing poker for a couple nights."

"In that case, I suggest you stick to poker."

"I tried to mix it up," Dylan said with a shrug.

"By when?" Max asked.

"Tonight," Dylan replied firmly.

Max let out an extremely loud laugh that was all fake and no humor. "Who do you think I am, Bill Gates?"

"I know you have it and I know you can get it to me by tonight," Dylan said seriously.

"Oh, I have it," Max said. "But what makes you think I'll give it to you?"

"You know why," Dylan said.

"Three words: mutually assured destruction," Max shot at him.

"Either way I'd end up dead, Max," Dylan said.

"Alright, I'll give it to you," Max said easily. "But I want you gone after this, okay?"

"Once I pay off my debts I'm headed back home," Dylan told her.

"What for?" Max asked. "Missing your mommy?"

"I have some unfinished business," Dylan replied sternly.

"Don't we all," Max said quietly.

They looked each other over and I knew instantly that they didn't just have any kind of past; they had the kind of past that eats at you and that forms you together for the rest of your lives.

"I'm taking Fang with me though," Max said.

"No, no deal," Dylan said instantly.

"Do you want the money or not?" Max asked him. "I'm not giving you anything unless I get to take him."

"Why would I give you my leverage?" Dylan asked.

I didn't know which one of them I want to be with least.

"C'mon, I know you know where I'm staying," Max said. "If I'm not back in an hour, you could easily find me."

Dylan seemed to think it over carefully before he nodded.

"Alright," Dylan said with a shrug, "an hour."

With that I unsurely walked towards Max.

"I don't have my truck," Max said. Dylan threw her the keys to my Tahoe and next I knew Max was behind the wheel and I was sitting in the passenger seat of my car.

"I would drop you off at home, but I don't think I have the time," Max said.

"Expect a law suit," I shot at her.

"I can be gone by tonight," Max said.

I didn't reply because I think we both knew that I wasn't going to sue.

"So what does Dylan have on you anyway?" I asked her.

She glanced over at me. "Dylan and I have a long past with a lot of crimes in it and even if he just mentioned one thing they would have enough to lock me up for a couple years at least."

"So you pay for his silence then?" I asked.

"I pay to get him out of trouble," Max said. "I settle his debts, I watch his back, I make sure he's getting enough money in that he's not hungry."

"Why?" I asked her.

"Guilt," she answered, "it can ruin a person."

I didn't ask her anything after that. We drove across town until we got to the very edge. I should have put it together faster, but I didn't. Of course there were only a couple hotels around here and of course only one allowed animals. I should have known Max was staying here, I mean it wasn't rocket science.

I've never heard a single good thing about this place. People who came to stay in this town avoided it like the plague. It was well known that people have been killed here and that drug deals are a regular occurrence. I can't imagine it's clean or that the police even bother to come out here anymore.

She pulled the Tahoe into a spot and took the keys.

"I'm going to go get the money," she told me. "You can run home if you want, I won't stop you, but if you wait for me to meet Dylan I'll give you your car back."

With that she got out of the Tahoe with the keys and headed into the crappy motel. I watched her head up the stairs outside and disappear into the fourth room in on the third floor. I sat back in the seat. I thought about getting out and walking home but it seemed much nicer to just sit here and drive when all this was done. For some reason I really didn't feel that scared around her even after what Dylan had said.

I leaned deep into the seat and turned the music on. Meer minutes later Max came out of her room with an envelope. I watched as she lifted up the back of her shirt and tucked it into her pants before putting her shirt back over it. I wonder if she also has her gun hidden there.

She made her way over to the Tahoe and slipped behind the wheel.

"This is a big hit," she said as she put us in reverse and headed back to where Dylan was staying.

"Are you going to be okay?" I asked her. The second after I asked I felt stupid. "You know, financially?"

"I'll be okay," she said. "Mac might have to eat the cheap dog food for a couple months, but I'll get back. Maybe I'll pick up a couple more games a week and grow a couple more plants."

I nodded. Clearly getting a normal job wasn't an option.

We pulled into the driveway of the old vacationing couple to find Dylan sitting calmly on a lawn chair. His gun was resting on his knee and he had a beer can in his hand.

Max hopped out to go meet him. I was going to sit quietly and wait but then I got curious. I carefully rolled my window down just enough that I could hear their voices come through.

Max pulled out the envelope.

"It's all there?" Dylan asked.

"You know it is," Max replied. "Now you hold up your end. I don't want to see you for at least a year."

"No promises," Dylan said so softly I almost didn't hear it.

Max seemed to snap. She reached behind her back and pulled her gun out of her waistband. She knocked Dylan's gun off his knee and it went skidding across the driveway. Then, she pointed her gun right at his head.

"Don't play this game with me, Dylan, you know you'll lose," Max said angrily. "You're going to be gone by tomorrow morning and I don't even want to so much as hear your name for at least another year. If you come after me for money again until then it'll be a waste of your time because I won't have it. This was all my savings and now thanks to you I have to stay here longer than I planned. So let me make myself clear, if you fuck with my life again I'll make sure you don't exist to do it again."

"Fine, I'll be gone by morning," Dylan said.

Max backed off and stuck her gun back into her jeans.

"Are we cool now?" Dylan asked.

Max looked him over and then nodded slowly.

"Good, so like I said I'm headed back home next," Dylan started, "you want me to tell your mom that you're doing good?"

"Don't bother," Max said. "You know they moved anyway."

"Yeah to Seattle," Dylan commented. "Have you checked on them lately?"

"I was there a couple months ago," Max said. "They're doing fine. The house is nice, I left some money."

"Have you heard anything about my parents?" Dylan asked carefully.

"Nothing really," Max said. "They're still living in your house. From what I could tell they're getting by. I left them some money too."

"Thank you, you know I appreciate it," Dylan said.

Max didn't say anything.

"So I'll see you around," Dylan said.

"No you won't," Max said. "We agreed to at least a year."

With that Max turned her back to him and headed back over to me.

Fifteen minutes later Max was pulling back into the parking lot of the hotel she was staying at. She looked over at me.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I truly am."

I looked at her and I knew she meant it. I wouldn't really call the police. As un-fun as being held at gunpoint was I knew that for a majority of the night I was safe. Dylan just wanted Max's attention.

I nodded at her. She got out of the Tahoe and I got out of the passenger's side to get behind the wheel.

"So this is where you're staying?" I asked her.

She looked back at me and shrugged. "For a while. I'd prefer it if you didn't share that with anyone."

Part of me was curious as to what it looked like inside. I wondered what she had set up. I wondered if she kept it clean or dirty or even what Mac looked like.

"I won't tell anyone," I told her. "I'll see you around, I guess."

"Yeah, you'll see me around."

As she turned back around I felt myself smile a little at the prospect and then quickly wiped it off my face and got in the car.

**A/N: Review por favor! I have a snow day again today so I'll be home all day and bored. So I would love to update again!**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews! I really have nothing else to say except to just tell you to read the chapter. **

"Wait, what?" Iggy screamed in shock.

I shushed him and pulled him over to the side of the hallway.

"Crazy, right?"

"This all happened after you left my house last night?" Iggy asked me.

I nodded.

I had told Iggy exactly what happened, including where Max lived. Max should know the best friends rule. When it comes to keeping secrets your best friend doesn't count. I don't care if you're a girl or a guy, you always tell your best friend when something awesome happens.

"So you know what this means, right?" Iggy asked.

"No, what?"

"We have to go to her hotel room," Iggy stated.

"Are you crazy?"

"No, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity," Iggy said firmly. "We need to know what we're dealing with here. I want to know if she has, like, dead bodies in the freezer or if she has a bomb or something stashed and she's planning to blow up the town."

"Something tells me that none of that is in her room," I said.

"How will we ever know?" Iggy asked.

I hate to say that part of me really wanted to know.

"Let's go after school," Iggy said. "She's here every day after school dealing so it would be the perfect time."

…

Iggy and I parked across the street from the hotel in the Dunkin Donuts parking lot to wait until we saw Max's truck leave. We had to leave early to be here in time to watch her leave for the end of the school day. Right on time, she left twenty minutes before two. Iggy gave her a couple minutes in case she forgot something and decided to turn around.

Finally, we drove across the street and parked. We moved quickly just in case we didn't have long. Iggy and I walked straight up to the front desk. The man behind the desk looked like he had fried every one of his brain cells long ago and wanted to be just about anywhere else. He had a big belly, a stained shirt, and a combover.

"We lost our room key," I told him.

He looked me over and laughed a little. "What room?"

Fuck.

"Third floor, fourth room in," I said.

He chuckled again.

"Look, boy, your dealer probably won't take kindly to you showing up uninvited," he said.

"Let me deal with that," I said.

"So you need a key for four-C then," he said. Next I knew he handed me a key. Clearly, they didn't care here.

I took the key in disbelief and headed out with Iggy.

"I can't believe he just gave it to you," Iggy said.

"Me either," I said in response.

We climbed the three flights of stairs and stopped when we got to the fourth door. Iggy and I paused before opening the door.

"No going back," I said.

"Just do it," Iggy said.

I turned the key and then pushed to door open. Instantly we were hit with a pungent smell of dog and smoked weed.

The dog, Mac, came running to us instantly. He was friendly and didn't even bark at us. He was all loose skin and big brown eyes. I couldn't help but want to pet him. Iggy was all over him, petting and hugging.

I took inventory of the room. To my left there was bed with messy blankets. Then there was a couch and a small TV that looked like it was at least ten years old straight ahead. Over in the farthest corner there was Max's weed growing healthily on a wooden table. Next to the weed was a door that must have led to a bathroom. Finally, there was a mini fridge and a microwave sitting on a small table.

It looked bare and dirty, but clearly Max didn't care and neither did Mac. He had his food and water bowl on the ground by the couch.

"I think this is a bad idea," I said to Iggy.

"No, just hurry," Iggy said. "Look under the mattress, in cabinets, just about anywhere you can think really."

I worked quickly. I headed for the mattress first and lifted it up at the sides to see if something was stuffed under it. Then I moved to the coffee table with the TV resting on it. I looked through the papers. I found a couple loose bills and three empty pizza boxes stacked tall with nothing in them. I dug under the couch cushions and in between the pillows. I even looked on the table with the weed growing.

"Anything?" I called to Iggy.

"Nothing," Iggy said as he came out of the small closet.

"Alright we should-"

We both stopped dead at the sound of the door handle moving. Iggy and I ran to the closet and stuffed inside. I was closer than I'd ever wanted to be to Iggy, but it was better than getting caught. Either way, I had a really bad feeling that we were incredibly screwed.

I heard Max come in and greet Mac with a high voice and lots of petting and laughter. Iggy and I listened in silence as Max moved around the room. I'm pretty sure she got something from the fridge and then put something in the microwave.

"What do we do?" Iggy whispered almost silently to me.

"Hope she leaves soon," I whispered back.

We sat in silence for even longer and then the microwave went off and Max's footsteps traveled closer to it. I heard her pop it open and then it was quite for a couple seconds longer.

"You guys want anything to eat or drink?" Max called.

Iggy and I shot our heads to the sides to look at each other. She couldn't possibly be talking to us, maybe there was someone with her and we didn't know or she was on the phone. Then we heard her footsteps coming towards the closet. I braced myself and then the door was pulled open. Iggy screamed at the top of his lungs right in my ear. I shoved him away from me as Max watched the two of us in amusement.

"I have Ramen, beer, and orange juice," she said.

Iggy and I stared at her for a minute.

"How'd you know we were here?" I asked her.

"You think I don't have cameras in here?" She countered.

"I'll have some beer and Ramen," Iggy said. He stepped out of the dark closet and into the light.

I looked Max over while she stared back at me. She was eating Ramen out of its cup. She had a black ball cap on tied with a black hoodie and black sneakers. In fact, the only thing she was wearing that weren't black was her ripped jeans.

"Black your favorite color?" I asked.

"Could ask you the same thing," she replied. I, in fact, was wearing all black. "I did some recon last night. I didn't have time to change when I stopped here this afternoon before I went to the school to deal."

"Recon?" I asked.

"I have to keep tabs on people if I want to keep them at a safe distance," she said.

"Find anything interesting?" I asked her.

She smiled at me. "Yeah, a few things."

The way she smiled at me made me nervous. "Like what?"

"Well, for one, you sleep in your underwear," she said.

That threw me. It took me a minute to even process what she said and then at least another to decipher what it meant. By the time I fully understood what she just said she was already across the room talking with Iggy and handing him a beer from the mini fridge.

Why would Max bother to watch me at night?

That's actually really creepy.

I watched Max talking with Iggy and wondered if she was plotting my murder. I don't know anything about her. I mean she could be a serial killer for all I know. I took another careful glance at her to see her lighting Iggy's joint.

I have to get out of here. I'd like to think I'm stronger but I know she owns at least one gun and she knows how to use it.

"We should go," I said, keeping my voice level.

Iggy looked at me like I might be crazy.

"We just got here," he said.

"Yeah, but it's invasive," I said. "We shouldn't overstay."

"It's no trouble at all," Max said.

"She's required to say that. Let's go Iggy," I said more firmly this time.

Iggy looked at me and I gave him a look that said I wasn't playing. He handed the joint to Max and put his Ramen down on the table.

"Alright, we'll see you later, Max," Iggy said.

I started for the door and heard Iggy following after me.

Once we were back in the Tahoe I looked at him and he looked back at me in a way that let me know he thought I was seriously overreacting.

"I think Max is stalking me," I said.

Iggy busted up laughing. I let him laugh for a while before I shot him a glare and he stopped.

"I think you're full of yourself. I would bet money on the fact that Max has way better things to do than worry about than you."

"She told me that she was out doing recon last night and then she said that she knows I sleep in my boxers."

"Well do you?" Iggy asked.

"Yeah, but isn't it creepy that she knows that?"

"Or is it wicked awesome because it means she has a thing for you?" Iggy countered.

"What if she's just really crazy and she's stalking me?"

"You're acting like that'd be a bad thing. I mean she's hot and she's wicked cool. Not to mention that accent – what is it? Boston?"

"I think it's irrelevant."

"Look, dude, she's wicked hot, she has a kick ass accent, and she could hook you up with booze and weed whenever you want, it's a win, win, win."

"Or she could kill me in my sleep," I offered.

"Maybe she just has a weird way of showing her feelings," Iggy offered.

"I just think it'd be best if we steered clear of her," I said finally.

I dropped Iggy off and then headed home.

When I got into my room I made sure to pull the blinds down and even slept in pants just in case.

**A/N: Please review guys I really want to try for a couple more than last chapter. Just tell me what you're thinking or what you want to see or even if you don't like something. **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I really have nothing much to say. Here's another chapter. I appreciate the reviews although I do wish there were more, but I always say that. I hope everyone is having a happy Valentine's Day. I'm doing laundry and eating ice cream with my mom so I hope you guys are up to some better stuff. **

The next time I saw Max she was back to her normal look with the flannel shirt and backpack. She had ditched the black attire for something that fit her a little more. I decided that now would be a good time to ask her if she really was stalking me and then ask her to stop. I'm not one to dance around problems and this problem had been circled for too long.

She had her back to me and she was handing a kid a baggy while he handed her some bills.

"Can I talk to you?" I asked her quietly.

She pocketed the money and then turned to me. She had a nice big black eye that she didn't even seem to notice, but I internally winced. She raised her eyebrows and gave me an impatient look over.

"What happened?" I asked.

"I still haven't learned to keep my mouth shut," she answered quickly.

"Are you stalking me?" I asked her.

She smiled at me and then shook her head. "No."

"Then why did you say that thing the other day?"

"I only know that stuff because I decided to check up on you after the whole Dylan thing. I just wanted to make sure that you were cool and that he left you alone. I didn't stay long so don't worry, I'm not watching over you while you sleep."

That was a relief.

"Would you like if it stalked you?" Max asked me. I wasn't too sure if she was making fun of me or not.

"No," I answered.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm pretty sure that I don't want to be stalked."

"What if I like you? Would you like it if I liked you?"

I looked her over. I watched the way her hair curled softly and the cool brown of her eyes. I looked at the bulge of cash in the pocket of her flannel shirt. I studied the rips and stains of her old backpack. I felt the pain of her black eye. I noticed the soft skin of her hands with a delicate ring on her left hand that I had never noticed before.

There's a big difference between liking someone and wanting to be with them.

For example, Max is pretty and she's so crazy that I'm almost drawn to her because of it, but I don't want to be with her. I don't want to fall in love with her and I don't want to be associated with her.

"I guess it would be okay," I said.

Max looked me over steadily.

"So that means you don't like me?" she asked.

"I don't know you," I told her.

"Fair enough," she said carefully. "It's probably best that way."

"Does that mean you like me?" I asked her.

"I saved your life," she said, and left it at that.

"That's not an answer," I told her.

"Sure it is," she said. "I'll see you around, Fang. Maybe even as soon as tonight." She winked at me and I was about eighty percent sure she was joking. She walked away from me leaving me a bit dazed.

I decided not to think about Max anymore for the simple fact that I thought she was unhealthy. I had lots of other things to worry about like the fact that Lissa, my ex-girlfriend, was for some reason heading in my direction. We made eye contact so there was no way I could turn and leave now, I was stuck.

"So are you dating that girl now?" Lissa asked angrily.

"No," I told her.

"You know she sells drugs, right?"

"Yes," I said.

"And I heard she's bad news," Lissa commented.

"Well I'm not dating her so…"

"Good, you shouldn't date her she's not good enough for you," Lissa said and she looked at me in this weird way that made me feel uncomfortable because I didn't want to have to re-break-up with Lissa again.

"But you are?" I asked.

"Apparently not," she said bitterly.

"Please try not to tell me what to do," I said.

Realization slowly spread across Lissa's face and she looked at me accusingly.

"You're not buying drugs from her, are you?" She demanded.

Now she thought that I was no longer just dating a drug dealer, but I was also doing drugs myself. Does she even know me?

"For someone who dated me for two years, you sure don't seem to know me," I told her.

Lissa started to get teary and I wanted to roll my eyes. Why would she seek out a conversation with me if she knew she would just cry?

"You didn't let me get to know you, Fang," Lissa said. "You're closed off. You don't want people to know you and you don't want to know other people. You don't talk about how you feel or what you want. It's your own fault that I don't know you so don't try to pin it on me."

As she walked away I felt a sharp pain in my chest. Am I closed off? Do I not let people in?

Fuck, what if I'm destined to die alone because I don't let people get close? What if no one even shows up to my funeral?

Iggy came strolling up to me casually.

"Am I a closed off asshole?" I asked him.

Iggy shrugged. "Mildly, why?"

"Lissa just said I was," I told him. "Do you think Max is hot?"

"I already told you I think she is," Iggy said. "I mean, God, that accent."

"I think she has a thing for me," I told him.

Iggy busted up laughing.

"What?" I asked.

"I think you're a little full of yourself there," Iggy said as he slapped me on the back. "I think Max is they type of girl that has things for guys who have model looks and who jump off cliffs and stuff. Something tells me that a small town guy isn't even on her radar."

I felt a little offended. I could totally get Max if I wanted.

"She hinted strongly to liking me today," I told him.

"She was probably just flirting," Iggy said.

"But you usually flirt with people you like," I told him.

"If I had to guess, Max seems like she would flirt with a lot of guys."

"Are you saying she's a slut?" I asked him.

"No, I don't think so, but with a body like hers and that freaking accent I'm sure she has no trouble getting guys that are way better than you."

"You always know just what to say to make me feel good," I said.

"Bro, don't get mad at me I'm just trying to give it to you straight. If I don't tell you the truth who will?"

That brings us back to the fact that I have no other friends but Iggy.

…

I was driving home from work when I found myself taking a turn in the complete opposite direction. I told myself I was just taking a quick drive but I knew I wasn't. I managed to deny it, however, until I pulled into the hotel Max was staying at.

I parked the Tahoe in a spot a couple down from where I saw her truck. If her truck was here then she probably was too.

I didn't allow myself to think, I just got out of the Tahoe and headed up the stairs to her room. I paused for just a second at her door before I knocked loudly. I wasn't sure what I was doing there, but it was too late to back out now.

It took Max a second but she eventually opened the door for me. She had a burner phone pressed between her ear and her shoulder. She had a gun in her right hand and a slice of pizza in her left. She looked at me quizzically before she moved aside and let me in.

"No, I haven't seen him," Max said. "Yes, I know who you are, but quite frankly I don't care." She looked at me and gestured to the messy room as an invitation to make myself at home. I moved over to the couch and sat next to Mac. "Where?...Okay tomorrow at eight, sounds good. Yes."

Max hung up the phone and then threw it across the room and onto the bed that looked almost exactly the same as when I was last here. I wonder if she's slept since I last saw her.

"Want anything?" She asked me. "There's pizza." I looked down at the open box of cheese pizza and shook my head. I wasn't hungry. I didn't come here for food. Actually, I'm not really sure why I'm here at all.

"What would you rate yourself on a scale from one to ten?" I asked her.

Max looked at me like I was perhaps crazy.

"Why?" She asked.

"Just answer it," I told her.

"Maybe a six," she said. "I mean I'm probably only a little better than average."

"And what would you rate me?" I asked her.

"Is this some kind of trick?" she asked.

"Just answer the question," I demanded.

"An eight or nine," she said. "You'd be a solid nine if your nose wasn't crooked."

I fell on a table when I was a kid and broke my nose. Ever since it's tilted just a little to the left.

"Well, I'd rate you at about a ten," I said.

Max blushed a little and then looked away from me.

"Why are you really here, Fang?" Max finally asked quietly.

"Apparently I shut people out," I told her.

"Doesn't everyone?"

"I'd like to get to know you better," I told her. "I told you today that I didn't know you which means that you probably don't know me, but I'd like to be your friend. I'd like to know you, Max."

Max let out a breath and then came over and sat on the opposite side of the couch from me.

"So you want to do the traditional twenty questions?" Max asked.

"No, not really," I replied.

"So how do you want to get to know me?" Max asked.

"Pretend that you were writing your autobiography and just start from the beginning," I said.

Max gave me another funny look.

"I was born on January eighth in nineteen ninety-six," she started. "I have a sister, Ella, and she's two years younger than me. I used to live in a little town a little outside Boston in a nice neighborhood with a big yard. I got Mac when I was thirteen for my birthday and he's still my best friend." Max wrapped her arms around Mac and he licked her face appreciatively. "I left home when I was fifteen and I've been all around the country since then."

"Why'd you leave home?" I asked her.

"I can't tell you that," she said softly.

"You'd have to kill me, right?" I guess with a touch of humor in my voice.

"No, you'd want to have me killed," she answered. "Now you're turn."

"My birthday is May twentieth nineteen ninety-seven," I told her, confirming that she was older than me. "I live with my parents here in town and I have my whole life. No pets, no siblings. My best friend is Iggy. I play soccer."

"I feel like I know you so well now," Max said.

"Fine ask a question, we'll play the question game," I told her.

Max studied me carefully. "What makes you cry?"

"I thought the question game usually asked things about favorite food and color," I commented.

"Those are boring."

"Nothing, I'm a guy and I don't cry," I told her.

"Bullshit," she said.

"What makes you cry?" I asked her.

"_The Notebook_," she answered confidently while staring me directly in the eye. "Every. Single. Time."

I admit I was a little shocked.

"Alight what makes you happy?" I asked her.

She thought that over. "The little things."

"Like what?" I asked.

"Like coming home to Mac when I've had a bad day and having him be happy to see me or having all my laundry all done and clean or cuddling up with a blanket fresh out of the dryer or even waking up and having nothing to do that day."

I studied her after that. That was actually really refreshing.

"What about you?" She asked me steadily.

"Playing video games all day," I said. "Coming home with no homework. Like you said, the little things."

"Alright, Fang, what's your favorite color?" Max asked, almost like it was a challenge.

I leaned forwards and stared her directly in the eye, "purple."

We sat in silence for a fraction of a second before Max started cracking up. I smiled at the sight of her hurled forward with pure laughter. She was holding her stomach and her eyes were all scrunched up. I chuckled when she wiped tears off her eyes and finally started to pull herself together.

"How about you?" I asked her.

She thought it over for a minute and then propped her feet up on my lap without asking, but I automatically accommodated her feet.

"Have you ever seen New England in the fall?" She asked me.

I shook my head.

"Well, there's this beautiful orangey-pink color that certain trees will turn to and that's the best color I have ever seen in my life. It's my favorite color."

"I'll have to see it sometime," I told her.

"I can't believe you never seen the trees change," Max said, shaking her head at me. "It's something that you have to experience at least once in your life."

"It's on my bucket list," I said. "Favorite food?"

"Pizza," Max said without hesitation.

"Out of all the foods in the world?" I asked her.

"I could literally eat pizza every day for the rest of my life and never get sick of it. How 'bout you?"

"Lobster," I told her.

"You're so typical," Max responded with an eye roll.

"I'm pretty sure that in the rules of the question game it states that you can't make fun of other people's answers."

"I'm pretty sure that there are no rules to the question game," Max said.

"There definitely are," I argued.

"I've yet to hear of any rules."

"Well, I've just established a rule," I said.

"You can't just establish a rule it has to go through a whole approval process," Max said.

"What approval process?" I asked her.

"The approval process I just made up," she said.

"How can you establish an approval process if it hasn't gone through the approval process itself?" I questioned.

"Because up until the approval process was created there was no preexisting approval process for it to go through to get approved."

"Okay, hypothetically, let's say that this approval process exists, what does it consist of?"

"Well, obviously you'd have to type up an explanation of your rule and then present it to the council for approval."

"Who's the council?" I asked.

"Me and Mac," Max answered, smiling.

"What about when you want to establish a rule, obviously you'll vote for your rule?"

"Then the council will be you and Mac," she replied simply.

"I'm gonna need some time to pull my presentation together," I said.

"You have all the time in the world," Max said.

I was pretty sure that was a lie because no way was Max staying here long enough for me to even have anywhere near to all the time in the world.

"When are you leaving?" I asked her.

"Is that part of the game?" She responded.

I nodded slowly.

"Not until I have to," she said quietly. "When are you leaving?"

"Next fall," I said. "I'm off to college."

"Where?" Max asked me curiously.

I shrugged. "Depends on where I get in and stuff."

"Are you staying close to home?" Max asked.

"I don't want to go too far," I said.

It was silent while Max look me over very closely and then she stood up and walked to the table with the weed growing and just like that I was reminded of who she actually was. I watched her nimble fingers work to roll a joint. She looked at me once before she lit it and inhaled deeply. I just stared at her until she finally offered me a hit. I shook my head.

"Maybe I should get going," I said.

Max looked at me–she was already visibly relaxing–and shrugged.

I stood off the couch and scratched Mac behind his ears for a second or two. Finally, I looked at Max and then I headed for the door.

"I'll see you around," I said.

She grunted in response so I just left as quickly as could.

**A/N: So Max and Fang are going to be friends I guess…let's see how that goes. **

**Please review guys I really want to try and get those up. **


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews guys I honestly love the feedback. Time for an update. **

When I walked out of school I wasn't sure what I wanted. I couldn't decide if I wanted to see Max or if I didn't. I guess I didn't really have a choice in the matter because there she was. She was wearing flannel unsurprisingly; however, what was surprising was that she was talking to Lissa. Then I couldn't decide if it would be better to face this problem head on or to turn back around instantly and wait until I was sure they were both gone.

I, however, am a man of confrontation and stupidity so I headed straight over to Max and Lissa. Lissa looked angry and Max looked calm, nothing out of the ordinary really. They both came to an abrupt stop when I got close.

"What's up?" I asked, trying to remain casual.

"Nothing," Lissa quickly chirped. I looked to Max. She looked the same as ever with a flannel shirt, jeans, and some boots. Her brown backpack was slung across one shoulder and the pocket of her shirt was weighed down with cash. I had no doubt that there was a gun tucked into the waistband of her jeans and she probably had more ruthlessness in her pinkie than Lissa had in her whole body.

"Lissa was just telling me that I should stay away from you," Max said simply. She leaned back against her truck and pulled out a wad of cash. "She says I'm going to corrupt you, but I personally think she is just jealous that you're not in love with her anymore. Of course, I reassured her that you were most certainly not in love with me now, but still she has been ever so persistent."

I couldn't tell if Max was annoyed with us or making fun of us, but it very well could be both.

Lissa's face was bright red and she looked away from us quickly to stare at the ground.

"Lissa, Max and I are just friends," I told her.

"That's a stretch," Max said. I gave her a look and she shrugged with a smile.

"I'm sure, Fang," Lissa said coldly. With that she walked away from us in a hurry.

"Sorry about that," I said to Max. She looked at me and smiled.

"She seems nice," Max said. I couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or not.

"Well, she's having a hard time with the break up," I said.

"At least she had the guts to come up to me and tell me straight how she felt," Max said.

We sat in silence for a couple seconds and then Max looked at me again.

"I've got to run, Fang," Max said. "I have a meeting with someone at four and it's at least an hour drive."

"Ok, I guess I'll see you around then," I said.

She nodded and then started to walk away. She walked a couple steps and then stopped and turned back to me.

"I don't know if this is crossing a line but I was wondering if you wouldn't mind stopping by my place and feeding Mac and maybe letting him out?"

I thought it over.

"Yeah, I could do that," I said.

She beamed at me. "Perfect! His food is on the table and just use any bowl you find lying around. Thank you so much, Fang. I just feel bad leaving him alone all night."

"No problem," I told her with a casual shrug even though this felt more than a casual thing to do.

…

"I can't believe she just invited you here," Iggy said. We were on our way to Max's hotel room to feed and walk Mac. The second I mentioned it to Iggy he demanded that I let him come along.

"She trusts me," I said.

"I don't think this has anything to do with trust," Iggy said.

I glanced at him sideways.

"Think about it a little, Fang," Iggy pushed.

I didn't want to think about it though so I didn't.

We pulled into the parking lot around five and made our way up to Max's room. I pulled out the key she had handed to me before she left and opened the door slowly. Once inside, Mac came running to us excitedly with slobber flying. I could see why Max keeps him around.

"Hey buddy," I said as I scratched behind his ears and his tail beat rhythmically against my leg.

I headed over to the table and pulled the heavy bag of dog food off and searched for a bowl. There was a bowl full of water on the ground but I had to use a different one for his food. There was a bowl with some ashes in it so I dumped the ashes and washed it out in the bathroom. Finally, I filled it full with food for Mac.

While Mac ate I sat on the couch and watched as Iggy searched around the room.

"While you're looking tell me if you find Mac's leash."

"Are we going to take him for a full walk or just out to do his stuff?" Iggy asked.

"We mine as well take him for a full walk. I don't know the last time Max took him out and let him do a lot of walking."

"I can't really picture her walking around the neighborhood waving to people with Mac," Iggy said in response.

Mac ate quickly and Iggy found his leash on top of the microwave so we were out onto the streets ten minutes later. Mac was a good walker. He trotted up ahead of us, but didn't tug the leash and he only stopped to pee on a couple things. When he stopped to do…number two I rushed him along because neither Iggy or I had a bag and we didn't want to get caught by any neighbors, especially neighbors around here.

"Mac is a good dog," Iggy said. "I would have thought Max would own a vicious pit pull or something."

"I think he's good for her," I said.

"Yeah he probably gives her a reason to come home and gives her something to be responsible for."

I think Iggy is reading a little too much into it or maybe he has a future in psychology.

"I guess."

"Where is she anyway?" Iggy asked me.

I shrugged. "She didn't say."

"She said she had a meeting somewhere an hour away," I told him. "She left it at that so I have no clue."

"Should we come back later and let Mac out again?" Iggy asked me.

"I don't know."

We finished our walk around the local streets and then headed back to the room. I unhooked Mac from the leash and he headed straight for his water. When he was done drinking he looked at Iggy and me with this sad dog look and I almost felt bad leaving him.

"Maybe we should stay a little while longer and let him get settled again," Iggy offered.

"Yeah, I think that might make him feel a little better," I agreed.

Iggy and I headed over to the couch and turned on the TV. We watched TV for about an hour but Mac was still fully focused on us. We decided that we should wait for him to fall asleep and then we would leave. That way he would fall asleep to us here and wake up to Max here.

…

"What are you doing?"

I instantly felt my body come back to me and my eyes flashed open. Max was leaning over me with both arms propped on the back of the couch so she could lean forward towards me without falling on top of me. Her eyes were bright with amusement and she looked really beautiful. She chuckled and then pushed off the back of the couch.

She was wearing a red dress with a leather jacket layered over it. She was holding a pair of black shoes in her right hand and her hair was all done up nicely.

"How was prom?" I asked her as I leaned forwards to lean on my knees. We must've fallen asleep watching TV.

She gave a little laugh and then peeled her jacket off.

"I thought it was a meeting."

"It was," Max said. "It was a meeting with someone and somewhere that constituted a dress."

She tossed her shoes across the room and they landed in a heap on the floor. Her jacket followed the path of her shoes and covered them where they laid on the ground.

"Thanks for watching Mac, I really appreciate it," Max said.

I had never seen her outside of flannel and jeans. This was a whole new side to Max that I didn't know existed.

"Yeah no problem," I answered, still a little shocked.

"I just hate leaving him alone for a long time like this so I'm happy he had you guys to keep him company. He really doesn't handle being alone well. He's quite social."

Mac was pawing at Max so she leaned forwards to pet him. For a second I wondered if she was talking about herself or Mac. I don't think either handles being alone well.

I stood up and stretched my arms above my head and then kicked Iggy's foot. He jumped awake and looked around in a panic.

"We fell asleep," Iggy mumbled out.

Max walked us to the door and we both said goodbye before Iggy and I headed back down to the Tahoe in the dark. It was definitely an interesting night.

**A/N: I hope you guys are staying warm I'm living in record lows right now and I'm happy when we get into the double digits for our temperature. So stay warm and enjoy your weather if it's warmer than mine. Review please!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Sorry I've been kind of MIA lately, but I had a pretty busy week. Anyway here's the update.**

I threw the tennis ball at the wall and it came bouncing back. I threw it again and again it returned. I've been doing nothing all morning and I really couldn't take it anymore. Iggy is taking SATs for the eighth time because for some reason his parents think that he's been holding out on them and he's going to suddenly get a perfect score on his eighth try. I told them that they should be happy he even got the score he got. Whatever, that's not my problem. My problem is that I'm bored out of my mind. Most people get out and do stuff on Saturdays and I haven't even gotten out of my pajamas.

I threw the ball again and started to brainstorm things for me to do. Suddenly, my door flung open. I was fully prepared to hear my mom start to tell me to clean my room but when I looked over I saw Max in a flannel shirt staring at me. I was shocked.

"So I don't know if this is not an okay thing to do but I was in the neighborhood and I saw your car in your driveway, not that I was really looking, but I thought that maybe you would want to do something and your mom let me in and I'm not really sure if this is making you feel uncomfortable or if I should just leave now-"

"Max, this is fine," I told her. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling at her. She probably wouldn't like that I thought she was funny.

She stood in my doorway and I laid on my bed and we just stared at each other. Finally, I sat up and cleared my throat.

"Did you want to do something?" I asked her.

Max shook her head. "Is there anything you want to do?"

I shook my head and then started to think of anything we could do.

"We could go to the movies," I said.

"The movies?" she asked.

"Yeah the movies," I repeated.

"I can't even remember the last time I went to the movies," Max said.

"Is that a no?" I asked.

"No, the movies sounds good," she said.

"Alright, let's go to the movies," I said. I stood up from my bed and looked at her for conformation.

"Aren't we supposed to look at movie times?" she asked me.

"Let's just wing it," I said.

That's how Max and I ended up sitting next to each other in a dark theater watching some cartoon. Max seemed intrigued though so I tried to pay attention but once they started singing I couldn't do it anymore so I focused solely on eating my Sour Patch Kids.

"Please tell me you think this is as terrible as I do," Max whispered to me. She was leaning in against my arm and her hair was brushing softly against my skin.

"Oh thank god, I thought you liked it," I said.

Max smiled a little and shook her head.

"Can we leave then?" I asked.

"I thought you'd never ask," Max said.

We both stood up and tried to make a quiet exit from the theater, but of course Max tripped and I accidentally kicked someone's water bottle to the other end of the aisle. We managed to get out with only a few hiccups though.

"So what now?" Max asked me.

I shrugged.

"I'm feeling pizza," Max said. I pretty sure she was just saying that because she saw the pizza place across the street, but I didn't argue.

"Sure," I said.

Max grabbed ahold of my hand and started to pull me across the street. She was dead set on getting pizza but I still wasn't over the fact that she was holding my hand. As soon as we reached the door she let go of my hand and yanked open the door. I got a weird feeling then. I felt like my hand was empty and I was uncomfortable without her hand in mine. I felt the need to grab her hand again but I suppressed it and just followed her inside.

It was warm and smelt like sauce inside. It was seat yourself so Max lead us to a booth across the room.

"What kind of pizza do you like?" Max asked me.

"I really like it with lots of anchovies and mushrooms and pickles," I said.

Max looked at me for a minute and then smiled.

"That's nice, I personally prefer just plain cheese, but to each his own," Max said with a shrug.

We sat in silence until our waitress came over.

"Can I get you guys anything to drink?" she asked.

"Water," Max said.

"Water," I echoed.

"Are you guys ready to order or do you need some more time?"

"I'll just get cheese," Max said. "He'll get anchovies, mushrooms, and pickles."

The waitress looked at me with raised eyebrows.

"I'll just get pepperoni," I told her.

She quickly scribbled down our orders and walked off.

"Wait, so you don't actually love anchovies, mushrooms, and pickles on your pizza?" Max asked while pretending to be shocked.

I lightly kicked her under the table which just made her start to laugh.

"Very funny," I said.

I watched her as she reached for her water and then took three long gulps from her straw. For not the first time I noticed the ring on her finger. I had to ask.

"Are you married?" I asked her.

She looked at me like was crazy so I gestured to her ring. She looked down at it and I watched her face flash with sadness before she looked up at me.

"I was going to be," she said. "We were engaged but we were young and he's dead now."

I felt her words shoot through my chest. How could she say that so nonchalantly?

"How did he die?" I asked her.

She looked at me and shook her head. "You always know just the question to ask."

"That's not an answer," I pressed.

"Well that's the only answer you're going to get," she said firmly.

"Do you miss him?" I asked her.

"More than you'll ever know," she said truthfully. "He was the first boy I ever loved in my life. He's that young love that you never will really fall out of because you weren't exactly in love with the person but more in love with the idea of being in love with that person, but I ruined it like I always do."

"So if he's dead and you aren't getting married to him why do you wear the ring?"

"As a reminder of what I've done," she said. "Sometimes I convince myself that I deserve a good life, that I could have a good life, but that's not true and this ring reminds me why."

"I don't think you've done anything so terrible that you deserve to be unhappy for the rest of your life," I insisted.

"You say that because you don't know what I've done," she said.

Just then we were both brought our slices of pizza and the conversation ceased.

"Do you think that you'll ever love anyone else again?" I asked her, trying not to let myself get invested in her answer.

She looked at me as she chewed her pizza and then looked away when she swallowed.

"Hopefully," she said. "It's not exactly something I've had to worry about."

"No guys live up to that first guy?" I asked. "The one who you weren't actually truly in love with."

She looked me straight in the eye after I said that. I'm not quite sure why I said it, but it was like I couldn't hold it back. I was getting angry.

"I don't stay in a town for more than a couple months," she said. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm kind of running from my past. Not to mention that I don't want to drag someone into my life. I don't exactly lead a charmed life. I don't live a life congruent to fostering a relationship."

"You know I'm kind of sick of hearing about how much your life sucks and how much you don't deserve to be happy. I feel like it's all just a charade."

Max glared at me and then she shot straight up from her spot across from me and headed for the door. I pulled my wallet out and dropped a twenty on the table before running after her. I don't know why I felt the need to screw this up.

"Max, wait!" I called. She was already halfway across the parking lot, but she stopped to look at me angrily.

"What do you want from me, Fang?" she asked as she stomped up to me. "You want me to be your _friend_? You want me to be your _girlfriend_? Well here's a newsflash, Fang: I don't make a good friend or girlfriend. It isn't a charade. I have killed people. I have stolen from people. I have cheated people. I do move around constantly. I have been arrested. I do have the police looking for me. I'm on the run, Fang, and I can't afford to get involved with someone in any way because I can't have anything tying me down when I have to leave."

Bullshit, she's just trying to push me away. No matter how annoying or how crazy she is I can't help but like her. I want to be near her. I hated that Iggy thought she was hot. I hated that she was getting married to another guy. I hate that she said she could only _possibly_ ever love someone again because I'm halfway to being in love with her.

"I just think you're scared," I said. "I think that you're scared that you might get attached to someone. I think you're scared that someone might make you happy. I think you're scared that you won't be able to leave them behind."

She looked at me steadily for two seconds exactly and then she shoved me. It wasn't that hard of a shove, but it was enough to make me take a couple fast steps back to straighten myself out.

"Goddamn, Fang, I'm fucking terrified and you scare me more than anyone because I've never wanted to hang around with someone more in my life."

"So you feel it to?" I asked her.

"How could I not?" she asked.

"I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't going crazy," I said, with a light chuckle. Never had I been held at gunpoint or had a girl randomly show up at my house. Never have I felt so jealous of Iggy in my life and never have I wanted to be close to someone so badly. I certainly haven't felt this way about anyone before.

"What do you want me to do, Fang?" she asked me. "What do you want from me?"

"I want you to give me a chance. I want to get to know you better. I want you to hang out with you. I want to just see where this goes."

Max thought it over and then slowly, very slowly, nodded at me.

"What do we do now?" she asked.

"I'm going to take you back to my house so you can get your truck and then tomorrow I'm going to pick you up at noon and we're going to go to lunch together."

With that we walked silently over to the Tahoe and got in. Neither of us said a word as we drove back to my house. When we pulled in and Max started to get out she just gave a brief little wave with a meek little smile. I waved back and then she was gone and getting in her truck. I threw my head back against the seat and didn't know what I had done, but I smiled a little at the thought of her.

**A/N: So Max and Fang are going to lunch together. It's fuzzy where they stand and we'll see that playing out in the next couple chapters, but at least they're going somewhere. Reviews are needed and greatly appreciated as always!**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: I really appreciate the reviews guys! Here's the new chapter. Sorry it's kind of short. **

I had just gotten out of the shower when my phone rang. I had just wrapped a towel around my waist and was in the process of rubbing my wet hair with a towel when I brought my phone to my ear.

"Hello?" I asked. No one ever calls me.

"Fang, you're going to totally kill me." It was Max. "I'm not bailing, well actually I am kind of bailing but it has nothing to do with you. Mac is hardcore sick and he's been throwing up all night. I think he ate something bad. Anyway, he is getting a little better but I just can't leave him like this. He's so miserable and I just want to be here for him in case-"

"Max, it's cool," I said.

"Are you sure because I was really looking forward to hanging out?"

I wanted to invite myself over to her place but I thought that might make her uncomfortable.

"Want me to bring you anything?" I asked her. "Maybe some ginger ale for Mac?"

That at least made her laugh a little.

"No, but why don't you stop by," she said casually even though it made my heart race. "We can maybe just hang out here."

"Alright, sounds good," I said. "I'll be over in a little bit."

"Ok, I'll see you soon then," she said. "Bye."

"Bye."

I hung up and put my phone back on the counter. I looked at myself in the mirror. My nose is crooked, but I think Max kind of likes it. It'll be a good afternoon.

…

Three hours later I was sitting on the couch in Max's motel room. Somehow we ended up watching _The Notebook_. I didn't want to watch it but somewhere in there Max tricked me. It's still a little fuzzy how it all happened. Either way here we were. Mac was passed out on one side of the couch with his head in Max's lap. Max was pressed against my side and I was pressed against the side of the couch. I wasn't sure if I should put my arm around her or if she wasn't ready for that yet or if I wasn't ready for that yet.

I glanced over at Max to see her staring intently at the screen while absentmindedly petting Mac's head while he dozed off. I hadn't really been paying attention throughout the movie but it must've been a sad part because Max's eyes were getting all watery.

She leaned her head against my chest and then I knew that it was ok to put my arm around her because it just felt right. I felt a warm drop of water fall onto my shirt and when I looked down Max was full on crying. She only cried for a minute or two and then the movie ended.

"You weren't kidding," I told her. "You do cry during this movie."

"It's just really sad," she said. She reached up to wipe her eyes so I tugged her closer to me.

"Any other movies that make you cry?" I asked her.

"No," she said, laughing at my fake optimistic face.

"I'll get you some water," I told her.

I slipped out from next to her and grabbed water out of the mini fridge. I opened it and then handed it to her carefully.

"Fang, are we dating?" Max asked me.

"I don't know," I answered quickly, happy that she was being blunt.

"Well I'm not going to kiss other boys," she said. "I'm also kind of hoping that you won't kiss other girls."

"Just kissing?" I asked, smirking a little.

"I won't hang out with other boys romantically and I hope you'll do the same with girls," she said.

"So you want us to be exclusive?" I asked. It's not like I'm going around with other girls now anyway, but it's good to get this stuff cleared up.

Max nodded while not looking at me.

"I'm happy with that," I said. "Anything else?"

"Yeah, are we dating?"

"You already asked that," I said.

"And you haven't answered," she said.

I looked her over while she fixed her stare on me.

"You tell me, Max," I said. I leaned down and rested my arm against the back of the couch so I was leaning right in close to her. "Are you still scared of me?" I cocked an eyebrow and waited for her answer nervously.

She audibly gulped and looked away. "Terrified."

"Why?" I asked.

"Because I like you and I'm leaving," she said.

"When are you leaving?" For the first time this seemed incredibly important to me.

She shrugged. "When I have to."

"How about we just don't a put a name to it?" I offered.

Max nodded slowly.

"Now, why don't I take Mac out and you relax a minute and pick out another movie for us to watch."

"Sounds good."

We left it at that and I was happy where we left it. I hooked Mac up to his leash and then I took him out and I was actually really happy to be where I was.

**A/N: Again, sorry it was kind of short. If you guys review I'll update again soon because I know this was a lot shorter than usual. **


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Thanks for the reviews. You guys rock. Here's the update and it's way longer than last time. **

"So does that mean you guys are a thing now?" Iggy asked.

I leaned to the right as I rushed to duck behind a building in the game we were playing. Shifting the side I wanted to go to has always been a bad habit of mine when I play video games.

"I don't know," I said. "She's cool and we talked and I thought I knew where we were but now I'm not too sure."

"Well you're either dating her or you're not," Iggy said.

"We're kind of somewhere in the middle of dating and not dating," I told him.

"What does that even mean?" Iggy asked as he led us forwards and towards another building.

"It means that we aren't dating other people but we aren't official," I said.

"So where does that leave you?" Iggy asked.

"Confused," I answered. "Grenade!"

Iggy and I jumped to the side and both got behind a wall.

"Like I don't know if it's ok for me to kiss her and stuff," I said.

"You should probably figure it out," Iggy said. "Man up and talk to her."

I was about to defend myself when my phone rang. It flashed with Max's name on the screen and a spark ignited in my stomach.

"Hey," I said.

"Hey," she answered. "I'm at a party right now and I'm with your ex. She's pretty drunk. Actually, she's blackout drunk and I don't know where she lives or anything. I can't find the people she came with and I figured you could help out."

Goddamn Lissa.

"Where are you?" I asked.

"Thirty-six Main Street," she said.

"I'll be there in five minutes just stay put," I said quickly as I got up and gestured for Iggy to do the same.

"Good thing you said that since I was planning on taking off with Lissa any second now," she countered sarcastically.

"Just wait there," I said.

I hung up with Max and then made Iggy follow me to the Tahoe.

"What happened?" Iggy asked.

"Max is at some party and I guess Lissa is there too and Lissa is pretty cocked so Max is trying to help her," I explained.

It took Iggy and me exactly five minutes to get to Gregg Winters' house AKA 36 Main street.

Max was standing outside on the front porch with her arms crossed. Lissa was sitting on the porch leaning against Max's leg to keep her head up.

"Hey," Lissa drawled to us with a lazy grin.

"This is really nice, Lissa, really nice," I mumbled angrily. I leaned over and picked her up. I held her under her armpits and helped her to stand straight. I don't think I've ever seen anyone this drunk in my life and I really didn't know what to do.

Iggy threw one of her arms around his shoulder and I threw the other around mine and we basically dragged her towards the Tahoe.

"Did you drive?" I asked Max.

"No," she said.

"Why were you here?" I asked.

"It's a party, why do you think I was here?"

Kids want booze and weed when they party and Max gives them both.

I hadn't picked up on it until now, but she was relatively angered by this whole charade.

"Thanks for doing this, Max," Iggy said, "it's really nice of you."

She didn't say anything in response and that ticked me off. Why would she bother to do this if she didn't want to? It's not like we asked her to help Lissa out.

"Do you need a ride home?" I asked Max.

"No," she said.

"Let me drive you home," I insisted.

"I'd rather just walk, Fang," she shot at me.

"You're not walking all the way across town at night," I pressed. Now she's just being ridiculous. We don't live in a dangerous town but she's dressed in dark clothing and it's night. I wouldn't put it past one of these kids to get behind the wheel after too many beers. I've heard too many stories of people getting hit to let her walk.

"Fuck off, Fang."

I turned to shoot her a look but she had her arms crossed across her chest and was looking out at the street.

"I'm driving you home, end of story," I stated with finality.

Max scoffed and turned to look at me now. We stopped in front of the Tahoe and Iggy started to load Lissa into the back seat while I waited out Max's response.

"I don't know who you think you are, but you aren't the boss of me. I'm the boss of me," she said strongly with an edge. "You know what I was thinking about while I was waiting for you to show up? I was thinking that this is high school bullshit. I've been done with high school for years. I'm on my own. I'm eighteen and I'm my own boss. You're just a kid, Fang and I don't think I can be with you if this is what your life is like."

She was glaring at me. She was pissed at me, but I was pissed at her.

"Well you know what I was thinking while I was driving out here? I was thinking that I really liked you. I was thinking that any girl who would do this for someone else is someone I want to be with. I was thinking that I wanted to ask you to be my girlfriend because I just want to be with you without this uncomfortable shit going on. And, honestly, I really don't appreciate being condescended to. I'm not a kid, Max. I'm a year younger than you. Yeah I'm in high school, but in normal circumstances you would have just graduated last year and-"

"But these aren't normal circumstances, Fang!"

"I don't get why you're so upset," I said, trying to keep the situation under control.

"Because I just don't think we'll work out," Max said, defeated.

"Uh, Fang, Lissa is crying," Iggy said. "I think we should take her home."

"She needs to throw up first," Max said.

"What?" I asked.

"She drank way too much," Max said. "She needs to throw up before we take her home. We should try and get it out of her. She may have drank too much."

Max grabbed Lissa from where she was in the back seat and tugged her forwards so she was leaning over the side of the Tahoe and facing the ground.

"I'm surprised she hasn't thrown up by herself yet," Max mumbled. "It's not good for her though."

Then I witnessed perhaps the most disgusting thing ever. Max stuck her finger into Lissa's throat and next I knew Lissa was gagging and then she threw up all over the ground. We all jumped back quickly to avoid it. Lissa heaved for a couple seconds after and then she fell back onto the seat and groaned.

"At least let me take you home," I said to Max.

She thought it over before she finally nodded. We all loaded into the car with Iggy sitting in the passenger seat and Lissa and Max sitting in the back seat. The ride was silent aside from Lissa's groans every now and then.

When we finally got to Lissa's house Iggy and I helped drag Lissa into the house. Her parents are away a lot so I was not surprised to find the house empty when we got there. We dragged her up the stairs and to her room.

"Put her on her side," Max said.

Iggy and I positioned Lissa on her side and then Max put a couple pillows behind her back as a wall.

"When she throws up she can't be on her back or she'll choke," Max said.

I looked at Max with a mixture of admiration and apprehension. She looked back at me and stared straight in my eyes like she wasn't hiding anything. It almost felt like in that moment she would have told me what happened to the boy she was engaged to if I asked, but I didn't dare.

We left Lissa with water and Advil and then headed to Iggy's. I dropped him off at the front of his house and didn't wait until he was even halfway down his driveway before I took off.

"We need to talk," I said.

"I have nothing to say," Max said.

"You obviously do," I said.

"I just think it's stupid for me to mess around with you because were just at different stages in our lives."

"So you think we're just messing around then?" I asked. "We could be doing more than just messing around, Max."

"I still don't know what you want from me," Max shot at me.

With that I lost it. I tugged us over to the side of the road and threw the Tahoe in park. I turned to face her and stared straight into her eyes.

"I didn't know what I wanted from you either, but now I know," I said. "I want all of you for as long as I can have you. I want you to be my girlfriend. I want to be able to kiss you. I want to hold your hand. I want to wrap my arm around you when we watch _The Notebook_ and I want you to cry into my chest when I do. I want to walk Mac with you. I want to take you out to nice dinners. I want to lounge around your shitty motel room and eat shit food and drink beer all day. I want all of that and I want it for as long as I can have it. I don't want you to leave, but if you have to leave I want you to leave knowing that you just had one of the greatest loves of your life."

Max looked me over carefully and even retreated further into her seat for a minute. Then finally, after a painfully long time, she jerked forwards and grabbed me at my shoulder. She tugged me down abruptly and next I knew Max was kissing me. Her lips were soft but firm and I met them with the vigor of a man starved of touch. I reached over and gently touched her cheek. Her skin was soft and smooth under my touch, something that contradicted Max's personality so perfectly that I almost shivered at the feel.

I don't know how long we stayed like that, with the push and pull of our lips and the soft skin of Max's cheek, but finally we both pulled away breathing heavily.

"I'm terrified," Max said. "I'm more scared of this than I've ever been of anything in my entire life."

"Boo," I said lowly.

Max cracked a breathtaking smile at that and I smirked at her.

"So can I take you home now?" I asked her. "I want to make sure you get home nice and safe."

Max leaned in a kissed me again.

"I couldn't imagine being able to find my way home without you," she responded.

I quickly put us back in drive and then we were off towards the motel. I felt a swell of happiness deep in my gut that made me reach across the center console and grab Max's hand.

**A/N: What do you think? Review Please!**


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